Branding-iron.



PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

F. FRANCE.

BRANDING IRON.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

fla. 3 3 W W ik C Q i UNITED STATES Patented September 18, 1904.

FRANK FRANCE, OF FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA.

BRANDlNG-IRON.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 769,735, dated September 13, 1904.

Application filed March 10, 1904. Serial No. 197.604. N0 model.)

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Be it known that I, FRANK FRANCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fargo, in the county of Cass and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Branding-Irons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to branding devices for branding stock, and has for its object to improve the same in the several particulars hereinafter noted.

To the above ends the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout both ,views.

Figure 1 is a View, principally in side elevation, but with some parts in vertical section, illustrating my improved branding iron or device; and Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the same.

The improved branding device in its preferred form involves a cylindrical oil-receptacle 1, which is connected to the barrel of a small air-pump 2, the said barrel having vertical projections 3, between and to which is rigidly secured a tubular handpiece 1. An oilfeed pipe 5, having a valve 6, extends from the oil-tank 1 and terminates in a burner 7. The air-pump of course is adapted for use to produce a pressure of air within the oil-receptacle 1, and the burner 7 is preferably provided with a drip-cup 8, adapted to contain enough oil to produce the initial generation of gas.

A flame-box 9 is rigidly supported from one of the barrel projections 3 by means of a bracket 10 in a position immediately over the burner 7. In its bottom the flame-box 9 is provided with a flame-passage 11, through which the flames from the burner pass freely into the said box. The front face of the flamebox 9 is open, and the said box is preferably lined with asbestos, as indicated at 9.

A long sliding rod or plunger 12 works freely through the handpiece 4, through the barrel projections 3, through the bracket 10, and through the flame-box 9. At its forward end the said sliding rod 12 is provided with a branding-iron proper, (indicated by the numeral This branding-iron, as shown, is in the form of the capital letter F; but it will of course be understood that in different instances this branding-iron will take various forms, according to the design of the brand which it is desired to burn upon the animal. At its rear end the rod 12 is provided with a head 1 1 and with an adjustable stop-collar15, the latter of which is held wherever set on the rod by means of a set-screw 16 or other means.

From what has been said it is of course obvious that by sliding movements of the rod 12 the branding-iron 13 may be moved into and out of the flame-box 9. The brandingiron will of course be moved into the flamebox when it is to be heated and will be projected therefrom when it is to be used in branding. The distance to which it may be projected may be varied by the adjustments of the collar 15 on the rod 12, the said collar serving as a stop which engages with the rear end or left-hand barrel projection 23.

\V hen the branding device is in use, the body of the same is supported by one hand gripped around the handpiece 4, while the other hand is applied to the head 14 of the rod 12. Then while the body of the device is held stationary the branding-iron is forced outward against the body of the animal. The handpiece 4: and other parts through which the rod 12 slides are thus made to serve as guides to direct the branding-iron to its work. This makes it easy to apply the brand just at the place desired. Furthermore, when the branding-iron 13 is projected from the flamebox it may be rotated by turning the rod 12, and this makes it easy to adjust the brandingiron to the desired angle, and hence if it is necessary, as it sometimes happens, to apply the branding-iron a second time to the same burn it is comparatively easy with the device described to bring the branding-iron accurately to its original position.

The device described, while simple and of small cost, is capable of rapid operation and is extremely efficient from all points of view. It will of course be understood that the device described is capable of modification within the scope of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a branding device, the combination with a flame-box, a burner, and a handpiece, connected together, of arod mounted to slide through said handpiece and flame-box, and provided with a branding-iron at its forward end, movable into and out of said flame-box by sliding movements of said rod, substantially as described.

2. In a branding device, the combination with a flame'-box,a burner,and a handpiece rigidly united,of a rod mounted to slide through said handpiece and said flame-box, a brandingiron on the forward end of said rod, movable into and out of said flame-box by sliding movements of said rod, and an adjustable stop on the said rod for limiting the outward movement of said branding-iron, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an air-pump, having a handpiece secured thereto, of an oil-receptacle communicating with the barrel of said pump, an oil delivery pipe extending from said receptacle and terminating in a burner, a flame-box located over said burner, said flame-box having a perforated bottom and an open front face, a rod mounted to slide through said handpiece and provided with an adjustable stop-collar for limiting its sliding movement, and a branding-iron, secured to the forward end of said rod, and movable into and out of said flame-box by sliding movements of said rod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK FRANCE.

Witnesses ELIZABETH H. KELIHER, F. D. MERCHANT. 

